Clock thermostat



May 17, 1938. A. G. MCNIC OLL CLOCK THERMOSTAT 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1911 .2

Filed April 1, 1935 nlllllllllll lllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHINIMI 2 may N Z WM 0 A w H Y 5 Andhmr 6. 1!?

Hill

May 17, 1938. A. G. McNlCOLL 2,117,768

CLOCK THERMOSTAT Filed April 1, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN 70!? Andrew M NicoZZ/ BY HIS A TTORNEY 3 1938. A. G. McNlCOLL 2,117,768

CLOCK THERMOSTAT Filed April 1, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TO Andrew ('ZMGJVZ'G'GZZ BY H/S ATTORNEY Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE or to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Com pany, Minneapolis, Minn a corporation of Delaware Application April 1, 1935, Serial No. 14,063.

13 Claims.

This invention relates to clock thermostats.

As is known in the art, there is a time lag between the time the heating system is placed in operation and the time at which the room temperature is brought up to the desired level. Because oi this time lag, the heating system will deliver heat to the room or space to be heated for some time after the room thermostat has become satisfied. This is especially true during morning pick-up periods under the command of a clock thermostat. Under these conditions, the temperature of the room is low and the temperature of the heating system is low. When the room thermostat is shifted by its clock mechanism from the night setting to the day setting, the heating system will be energized to deliver heat to the room. However, the heating system will build up a surplus of heat and when the room has been brought up to the proper temperature and the heating system shut down, this surplus of heat will be delivered to the room to raise the temperature of the room beyond the desired level, causing what is known in the art as "overshooting.

Broadly, it is therefore an object of this invention to prevent over-shooting of the temperature of the room during morning pick-up.

This is accomplished in applicants invention by providing a two-stage morning pick-up whereby the thermostat setting is raised to an intermediate point for a predetermined length of time to permit the heating system to expend its surplus heat during this predetermined time at this intermediate temperature level. The heat so expended by the system is usually sumcient to bring the room temperature up to normal. If this surplus of heat delivered to the room is not sufiicient to bring the temperature of the room up to normal, then a subsequent operation of the clock thermostat causes energization of the heating system to bring the room temperature up to normal. In other words, this invention permits the use of the surplus of heat in the heating system for bringing the room or space to be heated up to the desired temperature and to prevent this surplus of heat from causing over-shooting.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to combine a time means with an adjustable thermostat for adjusting the setting of the thermostat by lowering the setting of the thermostat at night and for raising partially the setting of for adjusting the setting of a thermostat which time mechanism includes means for adjusting the thermostat in one direction in a single step and in the other direction in a plurality of steps.

Still more specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide in combination with an adjustable thermostat, a constantly driven shaft, cam means driven by the shaft, adjusting means for the thermostat, clutch means between the shaft and the adjusting means, and means actuated by the cam means for controlling the clutching means to adjust the thermostat in one direction at a predetermined time, to adjust partially the thermostat in the other direction at another predetermined time, and to adjust completely the thermostat in the second direction at still another predetermined time.

Another object is to provide manual means for adjusting the setting of a clock thermostat of the type specified above wherein the automatic setting means in no way interferes with the manual adjusting means.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying specification, claims and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the clock thermostat of my invention with the cover thereof removed.

Fig. 2 is an irregular vertical sectional view through the clock thermostat looking from the right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale of a portion of the control mechanism of my invention.

Fig. '4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3 with certain parts shown in section for purposes of clearness.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of a portion of the control mechanism of this invention with parts broken away for purposes of clearness.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the fundamental parts of my clock thermostat to clearly show the features of this invention.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views showing various parts of the clock thermostat in their relative positions for various adjustments.

This invention is an improvement over my copendingapplication S. N. 595,460, filed February 27th, 1932 and to fully disclose the features of this invention some of the structure in that application will be briefly referred to herein. The

. clock thermostat proper is assembled on a base In. Extending forwardly from the bottom of the base 10 is a bracket ll upon which are located temperature indications U2. The bracket Ill carries an insulating member [13 to which is pivoted a bracket M5 by means or a combined screw and binding post iii. The bracket is adjustably' positioned with respect to the insulation rn do of the brac t 92 by means of an eccentric adjusting screw worlnng in a slot in the bracket l5. Rigidly secured to the bracket i5 is a thermostatic element i l and rigidly connected to the therrno= static element are switch arms l8 and i9.

Pivotally mounted on the front of the base ill by means of a pivot 2i is a plate 2b. This plate Ql'i carries biz ding posts 22 and the binding cost 523 havin a portion 2 1 insulated therefrom. ulated portion 2 is electrically connected e post 22 by means of a bridge Adcontacts 26 and ill are carri d by the 23 the insulated portion 20. "v lres con-- nect t e post l@ the post and the 28 located on the rear cost c2 to a terminal block o, eration and construction of the thermoc switch disclosed above is identical to t the'tnostatic switch disclosed in *ny co 1 animation and a further descrio" on is cred necessary it being sunicient t t u a decrease in temperature as the thermostatic element l t, the switcn arms l8 and i9 will be moved sequentially into with contacts 26 and 271' respectively to complete electrical circuits as described conending application. "Upon an increase temperature, the switch arrns l8 and will be moved out engagement with the contacts 26 2i by the'therrnostatic element i l to breal; the electrical circuits.

The plate 2i) has a pron eol portion Bil punched rearwardly therefrom and located between the prongs oi this portion is a pin 36 carried by a cranl'; The era l: 32 rigidly secured to a rod 33 which is suitably journalled in the base iii at 8C and Mounted against rotation on the lower end of the rod is a lever 36 having a pointer 37] thereon to cooperate with the tern e indications ill on the bracket ll. ovlng lever 36, the plate 26 is moved its pivot M by the above describe structure to move the contacts and 2V to or away from the switch arms 08 and i9. When the lever 36 moved to the right of the position shown in l, the contacts 26 and 2? are moved towarl the switch arms is and ill to increase the temperature setting of the thermostat. lvlovthe lever toward the left from the posi tion shown m the contacts 26 and El are moved away rrorn the switch arms l8 and l to lower the temperature setting of the thermostat. The electric clock mechanism is secured to spaced plates to and ll, the plates being held in spaced relation by means of spacers d2. idle cloclr mechanism is removably secured to the base it] in the manner pointed out in my copending application. ll/lounted'between the plates and ll is a synchronous motor '13 which drives a motor pinion i A fibre gear t5 mounted upon a shaft meshes with the motor pinion it. The other end of the shaft ill carries a pinion 'll which is in mesh with a gear Q8. The gear 58 has integrally secured therewith a pinion 49 which meshes with a gear 50. The gear 50 is rigidly secured to pinion 5| which in turn meshes with gear 52. The gear 52 ls-mounted on a shaft which passes through the plate M into a casing 53 for operating a further gear reduction mechanism therein. The gear reduction me anism within the casing in turn operates the minute and hour hands 5d and Elli respectively which hands cooperate with time indications located on the cloclr. face The gear train within the casing 53 also on crates a gear til which has secured for rotation therewith a pinion 58 which meshes with gear 59. The gear 59 is rigidly secured to a shaft (it. By reason of the above described gear reduction train, the shaft G6 is driven in such a manner that it makes one complete revolution during every twenty-four hours. Secured tothe twentyiour horn shaft (it is a dial disc (5i. Adjustably mounted on the shaft are carn levers 62 and which are held in fixed position afte adjustinent means of a knurled nut 60. inc cam lever has cam surface which projects beyond the periphery of dial disc 6i and the cam lever 33 has two cam su. aces ltd and i l projecting beyond the periohery of the dial disc 65 for a ourrsose to be poi ted out more fully hereafter. lvi'ounted between the spaced plates ill and El is a third Eefe to Figs. 2 and the plate Oil has opening therein. whicl'i is mounted for a sleeve 66. -tegrally end of the sle a 5i fo rich is journain the plate Cl and at the other sleeve 66. The ge r is rigidly secured to gear ill for rotati n therewith. llilouhteol for tat'lon on the sleeve 66 is a clutch collar having annular groove lit) located in the periphery thereof. Loosely mounted on the plate 6E3 by means of screw is a lever l (1, having tongues l3 adapted to ride in the groove l d of the clutch collar 69. Il/lounted in the clutch COHELJ. forwardly extending pins l d wh ch are adapted to extend through holes iii in the earn disc and when the clutch collar is moved into engage ment with the cam disc ill, the pins it are ad ed to oroject forwardly into openings E6 in oft? A spring l-il, shown to be a coil spring ini 6 for purposes of ilhntration, located l etween the plaw G5 and title lever ll nonnally to urge the clutch collar 69 to its rward position to cause the pins i l to register with the opening 716 the gear Mounted on the sleeve ill: on. the opposite side of plate by means of a so T '09 is a l8 so that when the pins M est-end into the opening 56 of the gear till the it; will be moved by the gear 58.

e earn disc is provided with three cam on surfaces, A, 3 and (I) which are adapted to en gage a prong 99 on the lever ll to move the lever lfl rearwardly against the action of the spring it. Such rearward movement causes the pins l t oi" the clutch collar 69 to disengage from. the onenings it; in the gear Elli) whereby rotational move-- merit of the cam disc ill and the cam lid is provented. When the cam surfaces A, or C are moved out of engagement with the prong 99 oi the lever ll, the spring it causes the pins M to enter the openings it of the gear 5d to impart rotational movement to cam disc 6i and the cam iii.

A night abutment member 80 is pivotally mounted by means of pin 8| to the upper extremity of the plate 20. The abutment 80 is adjusted about its pivot by means of pointer 82 extending across the plate 20 and the amount of adjustment is visually indicated by the coaction of the pointer 82 with suitable night indications located on the plate 20. A morning pick-up or day abutment member 83 is pivoted to the plate 29 by means of a screw 84. The abutment member 93 is adjustably positioned by means of a pin 99 working in a slot 96 in the abutment member 83. The pin 95 is secured to the lever 91 which is pivoted to the plate 29 as at 99. The lever 91 extends across the plate 29 and is provided with a pointer 99 which coacts with suitable day indications on the plate 29 to determine the adjusted position of the day abutment member 83. The abutment member 83 is provided with two spaced portions 99 and 9|. The abutment member 89 and the spaced portions 99 and 9| are adapted under predetermined conditions to be engaged by the cam 18 to move the plate 29 and consequently change the setting of the thermostat as pointed out above.

Extending through and pivotally mounted to the plate 4| by means of a pin 93 is an actuating lever 92. Extending downwardly from the actuating lever 92 is an abutment 94 which engages the front surface of the plate 4| to limit downward movement of the forward end of the lever 92. Pivotally mounted to the rear end of lever 92 by means of a pivot pin 95 is an upwardly extending member 99 which has an inwardly extending projection 91 which is adapted to ride against the rear face of the cam disc 61. The member 99 is'held against the rear surface of cam disc 61 and in an upper position by means of spring 98 secured to the plate 4|. The lug 99 of the lever 1| is located in a plane immediately below the plane occupied by the portion 91 of the member 96.

Assume the parts in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 7, counter-clockwise movement of the dial disc 9| will cause the lever 92 to ride up the cam surface of the cam lever 62 to cause clockwise movement of lever 92 as viewed in Fig. 2 and consequent downward movement of the portion 91 of the member 99 pivotally secured to the lever 92. This down movement of the member 99 causes clockwise rotation of the cam disc 91 and consequent movement of the cam surface A out of engagement with the prong 99 of the lever 1|. This movement also causes the portion 91 of the member 99 to move between the cam disc 91 and the prong 99 of the lever 1|. Upon a slight further movement of dial disc 9|, the cam lever 92 will be moved out from underneath lever 92 and lever 92 will be moved in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 by means of the spring 99. Such counter-clockwise movement causes theportion 91 of the member 99 to move upwardly from between the cam disc 91 and prong 99. The prong 99 will then be forced against the rear surface of the cam disc 91 by the spring 11. Such movement causes the pins 14 of the clutch collar 99 to enter the openings 19 of the gear 69 to clutch the gear 59 with cam disc 91. Rotation of the gear 99 will then cause rotation of the cam disc 91 and the cam 19. The cam 19 will then engage the abutment member 99 to alter the setting of the thermostat from a high temperature setting to a low temperature setting. Rotation of cam disc 91 will continue until the next cam surface comes into engagement with the prong 99 of the lever 1|. Upon such engagement, the lever 1| is moved rearwardly by the prong riding up the cam surface B. This will cause removal of pins 14 from the openings 19 with a consequent declutching action whereby further rotation of the cam disc 91 and the cam 19 is prevented. The cam 19 and the cam disc 91 will remain in this new position until the cam lever 99 of the dial disc 9| engages the lever 92 to cause another cycle of operation. similar to that outlined immediately above. This general mode of operation is fully disclosed in my copending application and a further descrip tion is not here considered necessary.

As pointed out above, the day abutment ber or the morning pick-up member 83 pro vided with two abutment surfaces 99 9i, that the cam disc 91 is provided with three 9 surfaces A, B and C and that the cam levis provided with two cam surfaces I99 and It should be noted at this point that the ment portions 90 and 9| are spaced apart. t the cam surfaces A and B are spaced s'ui tially 180 apart and that the cam surf-me C is spaced substantially 90 away from ca faces A and B. It should also be noted point that the cam surfaces I99 and Mt cam lever 93 are spaced apart by a time int. of one hour.

For purposes of illustration, the cam leveg; is so positioned as to cause a lowering othermostat setting at 10:00 P. M. and the c lever 93 is so positioned as to cause the first of pick: up at 5:30 A. M. and the second of pick up at 6:30 A. M.

Assume the parts in the position showy-2i; Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawings. The earn 8 is pointing downwardly. the cam surface A of disc 61 is holding the control mechanism declutched position. the lever 92 is about up the surface of cam lever 92 and the ti stat is set for 70. The time of the day by these positions is substantially 8:30 P. the electric clock keeps running, the le rides up the cam surface of the cam lever 92 conditioning the control mechanism -until the time of 10:00 P. M. is established. At 30:00 P. M., the lever 92 falls oil of the cam surface 62 which causes clutching of the control mocha nism in the manner pointed out above. Such clutching causes clockwise movement of the cam disc 91 and the cam 19. This clockwise move ment of the cam 19 causes the cam, to engage the night abutment member 99 to shift the same to the position shown in Fig. 8. Movement of the cam 19 and the cam disc 91 will continue until substantially 180 travel thereof has been completed at which time cam surface B of cam disc 61 engages the prong 99 of the lever 1| to declutch the control mechanism in the manner pointed out above. Movement of the night abutment member 99 by the cam 19 to the position shown in Fig. 8 causes lowering of the setting of the thermostat from 70 to 60 as shown in Fig. 8.

The thermostat will remain at the 60 setting until the camsurface I99 of the cam lever 99- comes into operation. At 4:00 A. M., the lever 92 will ride up the cam surface N9 of cam lever 63 to condition the clutching mechanism for operation in the manner pointed out above. At 5:30 A. M., the lever 92 will fall off of the cam surface I99 and cause clutching action of the control mechanism in the manner pointed out above. when the clutching action has been established, cam 19 and the cam disc 91 will. be rotated in a further clockwise direction and cam 19 will engage the upper abutment surface 99 to cause movement of the day abutment member a to the right to the position shown in Fig. 9 and consequent changing of the setting of the thermostat from 69 to 67". Since the cam surface C is spaced only 90 from cam surface 13, the control mechanism will be declutched'after 90 Whe cause pi'esetting or g mecha ism the 6:39 A. the lever oi off the Si to cause a clutching act n consequent sotation direction.

i causes iuit er nieui iember 't ght shut o to above tic setting device which lowers the causes a two l.un o of setting of the the by overshooti largely prevented.

levers and 63 with respect to t Y disc the time of the night lowering and ti two stage morning pickup may be var Although i have disclosed a two stage morning picu up, is Within the contemplation of this invention to include any number of stages. may be accomplished by increasing the @1 abutment surfaces on the day abutment morn-- her 83, the number oi cani surfaces between the controlled thermostat setting meal! may occupy, the theri'nostat may be manually adjusted by manipulation of the pointer 3?. If the are in the positions shown in l the cam 38 is vertically arranged to permit lateral niovement of the abutment members St 83 whereby the thermostat may be set in any post tlon by manual operation o the pointei 3?. Also, the parts are the position shown by "1g. 3, the cam i8 is adapted to enter the space between the abutment portions Oil and 90 to permit lateral movement of the abutment members 8d and No binding action, whatsoever, occurs to prevent free and easy manual manipulation Whethei' the time setting mechanism be posi-= tioned for day operation, nig t operation or morning pick-up operation.

Although l have disclosed one speciiicembodimerit of this invention, my invention should not be limited thereby but should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. in combination with an adjustable thermostat, time means for adjusting the setting oi the thermostat at predetermined times including cam .eans for lowering the setting of the thermostat in one step and cam means for aising the set g o ice thermostat a plura steps, and

t cans for manually adjusting the thermostat at will at all times.

2. In combination u 'h an adjustable thermoautoniatic means driven at a constant speed r adjusting setting oi the thermostat determined times including cane means for thermostat one directio 10 single step means for adjusts zniostat in the opposite direction in a p 0:; steps.

redeterniii'iec lusting the step so setting of tlie tantly dri en at on by consta it means for said theiniostat, mo ion ti'ansr constantly you me ns '1 said adjusting me o predetermined tin: s ing ....ieaus to control moti cans to lower tne setting of said the ostat in single step a d to raise the setting or he thermostat in 2. pl rality of steps.

5. In combination with adjustable ti nnostat, a constantly c' en means, operating nieans driven by said constantly driven means, adjustmeans for said tl'ieiniostat, motion ti'an tim means between constantly driven on aus, said adjusting means, and means actuated. at g;

stat, constantly driven shaft, cam means c iveu said adjust ng means for the t clutch means between said shaft and means, and means actuated by said means .or con oiling said clutch means to the ermost in one 61 'ection a1 ti no, to adjust partially the thei no-- stat in the other direction at anothei' predeterned time and to adjust completely the thermoin the second direction at another predeter time. 7. In combination with an adjustable therniostat, a constantly driven shaft, means driven by said shalt, adjusting means for the thermostat, clutch means between said shaft and said adjusting means, and means actuated by said cam means for controlling said clutch means to (is lower the setting of the thermostat at a predetermined time, to rise partially the setting oi the thermostat at another predetermined time and to raise completely the setting of the thermostat at another predetermined time.

In a device of the class described, a constantly driven shaft, cam means driven by, said shaft, actuating means for performing a function, clutch means between said shaft and said actuating means, declutclnng means operated by said actuating means, and a mechanism associated with said declutching means and operated by said cam means to cause operation of said actuating means through a plurality of steps, the first step being greater than the remaining steps.

9. In combination, a clock, means constantly driven by the clock, a thermostat, adjusting means therefor including a normally stationary cam, a clutch for intermittently connecting said cam to the first mentioned means for operation thereby, a member constantly driven by said clock, cams mounted on said member for actuating said clutch to cause the thermostat to be set to a lower temperature in one step at night and to cause the thermostat to be set to a higher temperature in two separate steps in the morning.

10. In combination, a timer, means constantly driven by said timer, a thermostat, adjusting means therefor including a normally stationary cam, a clutch for intermittently connecting said cam to the first mentioned means for operation thereby, a member constantly driven by said timer, cams mounted on said member for actuating said clutch to cause the thermostat to be set to a lower temperature in one step at one time and to cause the thermostat to be set to a higher temperature in separate steps at another time, and means for manually adjusting the thermostat at will at all times.

11. In combination, a clock, means constantly driven by the clock, a thermostat, adjusting means therefor including a normally stationary cam, a clutch for intermittenetly connecting said cam to the first mentioned means for operation thereby, a member constantly driven by said clock, cams mounted on said member for actuating said clutch to cause the thermostat to be set to a lower temperature in one step at night and to cause the thermostat to be set to a higher temperature in two separate steps in the morning, and means for manually adjusting the thermostat in either direction when the thermostat is in its high setting.

12. In combination, a clock, means constantly driven by the clock, a thermostat, adjusting means therefor including a normally stationary cam, a clutch for intermittently connecting said cam to the first mentioned means for operation thereby, a member constantly driven by said clock, cams mounted on said member for actuating said clutch to cause the thermostat to be set to a lower temperature in one step at night and to cause the thermostat to be set to a higher temperature in separate steps in the morning, and means for predetermining the high and low settings.

13. In combination, a clock, means constantly driven by the clock, a thermostat, adjusting means therefor including a normally stationary cam, a clutch for intermittently connecting said cam to the first mentioned means for operation thereby, a member constantly driven by said clock, cams mounted on said member for actuating said clutch to cause the thermostat to be set' to a lower temperature in one step at night and to cause the thermostat to be set toa higher temperature in two separate steps in the morning, and means for individually adjusting each of the high and low settings. 1

' ANDREW G. McNICOLL. 

